Without limiting the scope of the present invention, its background will be described with reference to mobile device charging stations, as an example.
Mobile devices, such as mobile phones, MP3 players, smart phones, and the like are ubiquitous these days. Users carry them everywhere and use them constantly, which quickly drains the batteries of these devices. Oftentimes these devices are in need of a charge, but the charging cord is not handy or is in another location.
Several attempts have been made to make remote charging available to users of mobile devices. For example, expensive and complex kiosks are known for charging mobile devices, but they are located in limited locations due to their manufacturing costs and subsequent manufacturer suggested retail price. There are several reasons for the high manufacturing costs. One reason is that they oftentimes include displays for users to view advertisements, commercials, content and the like that an owner of such kiosks desires to present to the users. Displays require additional hardware to support the transmission of such content to the displays, including storage, memory, processors, additional cabling, and the like.
Additionally, when subject matter content is desired to be presented to users of the kiosks, an entity must create and constantly maintain and transmit such content to the electronic displays of these kiosks, thus increasing the complexity and individuals required to maintain the presentation of the content to the users. Further, due to the increased complexity of the hardware required for these kiosks, they must be constantly maintained to ensure proper functioning of the hardware.
Another reason for the higher costs associated with kiosks is that they typically are manufactured with large stand-alone frames constructed out of materials that are expensive. These kiosks have large floor footprints and require large expensive frames, electronics, and panels, which all drive up the manufacturing costs of these kiosks.
In addition, these kiosks typically provide a horizontal shelf for placing mobile devices for charging. Thus, when mobile devices are charging in the kiosks, users are unable to easily see arriving messages and calls on the displays of their mobile devices. Further, since these horizontal shelf provide a limited space, mobile devices must be stacked on top of each other, which can cause damage to the mobile devices and further block the displays from being viewed.
Typically, these kiosks require a high voltage power supply to power their chargers, which can several problems. Two factors considered in the classification of a “high voltage” power source are the possibility of causing a spark in air and the danger of electric shock by contact or proximity. Electrical arcing is a substantial additional risk. High voltage power can also damage devices in the event of a power surge.